THE ONE STOP AVIATION
GALLERY FOR AVIATION ART PRINTS AND PAINTINGS BY LEADING AVIATION ARTISTS FROM
AROUND THE WORLD

Aviation prints, the number one
aviation website based in the United Kingdom. Our huge stock of aviation art by
the world's leading aviation artists Robert Taylor, David Pentland, Ivan
Berryman, Anthony Saunders, Simon Smith, Philip West, Graeme Lothian,
Nicholas Trudgian, Frank Wootton, Barry Price, Ronald Wong, Keith Hill, Ray
Garner, Michael Rondot, Michael Turner, Geoff Lea, and Tim Fisher, is ready for
immediate dispatch. Our range includes aviation art prints of the Royal Air
Force, German Air Force, US Air Force and aircraft from other countries.

Admiral Sir Michael Layard, KCB, CBE retired from the Royal Navy in 1995 after some 40 years service – first as a Seaman Officer, then as a Fighter Pilot, flying from the aircraft carriers HMS Eagle and HMS Ark Royal. He commanded the last Sea Vixen Squadron, 899, HMS Lincoln, HMS Cardiff and the Royal Naval Air Station at Culdrose. He was also the last Commander Air in the former HMS Ark Royal. His first job as a Rear Admiral, in 1988, was as the Fleet Air Arm Tribal Chief, FONAC, later to embrace all active Naval Aviation as the FONA. Finally, he was the first combined Second Sea Lord and CinC Naval Home Command, on the Admiralty Board and responsible for all Royal Naval and Royal Marine people policy. He took part in several “bush fire” conflicts in the Middle and Far East during the 60s and 70s. He saw action in the Falklands War, as the Senior Naval Officer in MV Atlantic Conveyor. He was awarded the CBE. Now, in retirement, he is involved in too many things ranging from Charities and Trusts, to School Governorships, the NHS and the Fleet Air Arm Museum. He and his wife, Elspeth have lived in Somerset, on and off, for over 35 years and she is the proud Sponsor who launched the Duke Class Frigate, HMS Somerset. They have two delightful married sons. He says he is a passable painter and a passionate sailor and they are never happier than when they are “collecting experiences” – he did a bungie jump in New Zealand on his sixtieth birthday! His 32-foot yacht ‘Banjo’ is the second most beautiful woman in his life.

The operational history of the Spitfire with the Royal Air Force started with the first Mark 1 Spitfire K9789, which entered service with 19th Squadron RAF at Duxford Airfield on 4th August 1938. The Spitfire achieved legendary status during the Battle of Britain, a reputation aided by the famous Spitfire Fund organised and run by Lord Beaverbrook at the Ministry of aircraft production.

Although the key aim of Fighter Command was to stop the Luftwaffes bombers, in practice the tactic was to use Spitfires to counter German escort fighters, particularly the Bf109s, while the Hurricane squadrons attacked the bombers. Well known Spitfire pilots included Johnnie Johnson (34 enemy aircraft shot down), who flew the Spitfire right through his operational career from late 1940 to 1945, John Freeborn, Douglas Bader, Robert
Standford-Tuck, Maurice Brown who flew Spitfires and Hurricanes during the major air battles of 1940. Some notable Commonwealth pilots were Canadian George Beurling with 31.33 victories, South African Pilot A G Sailor Malan with 27 victories and Alan Deere from New Zealand with 17 victories. The Spitfire continued to play increasingly diverse roles throughout the Second World War and beyond, often in air forces other than the RAF. The Spitfire, for example, became the first high-speed photo reconnaissance aircraft to be operated by the RAF. Sometimes unarmed, they flew at high, medium and low altitudes, often ranging far into enemy territory to closely observe the Axis powers and provide an almost continual flow of valuable intelligence information throughout the war. In 1941 and 1942, PRU Spitfires provided the first photographs of the Freya and Würzburg systems and, in 1943, helped confirm that the Germans were building the V1 and V2. In the Mediterranean the Spitfire blunted the attacks on Malta by the Italian Regia Aeronautica and German Luftwaffe and, from early 1943, helped pave the way for the Allied invasions of Sicily and Italy. On 7th March 1942, 15 Mk Vs carrying 90-gallon fuel tanks under their bellies took off from HMS Eagle off the coast of Algeria on a 600-mile flight to Malta. Those Spitfires were the first to see service outside Britain. During WWII, Spitfires were used by the USAAF in the 4th Fighter Squadron until replaced by P-47 Thunderbolts in March 1943.

Welcome to Aviation Prints .co.uk!
Use our drop down menus to find a particular aircraft, artist or
signature, or click the links to the most popular in each category which
we have provided above. Browse through over 80 aviation artists,
120 different aircraft and well over 1500 aviation pilot and aircrew
signatures. Look out for our specially discounted two-print packs
- especially designed for aviation art collectors, our packs bring
together prints with the same aircraft, squadron, event or similar
collectable signatures and offer large discounts off some of the latest
releases and most popular prints.

At Aviation Prints .co.uk we
hold 99% of the items advertised on our website in stock - our warehouse
contains more stock than any other aviation art dealer, and we have over
1,000 print editions which are unavailable anywhere else. We invest in
aviation art by publishing artwork by a number of aviation artists
ourselves - and we are also authorised distributors for other aviation
art publishers, making our range of artwork the largest available. With over
24 years of experience in the field of fine
art, you can find the best deals around on aviation art at Aviation
Prints .co.uk!